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wawaguagua
Joined: 10 Feb 2013 Posts: 190 Location: China
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:22 pm Post subject: Too late to find something else? |
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I just finished three wonderful years in a lovely Xinjiang school, where I was well-recieved by the students and the administration... But now Xinjiang has put up a block on most foreigners getting residence permits.
I found another job in inner China with the impression that I like working in "small cities." The problem is, not all small cities are created equal. The city I worked in had a dozen huge supermarkets. This one doesn't have anything larger than a big convenience store. Also, I settled for a smaller salary than my previous one with the understanding that the cost of living is supposed to be cheaper here - but as I've discovered, it isn't cheaper at all.
Anyway, I just arrived, and though all of my paperwork is ready, we've only just started the transfer process. With ten days left on my current residence permit (from my previous school), do I have enough time to bail on this one and get something else? |
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teenoso
Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 365 Location: south china
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 3:10 am Post subject: |
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Absolutely it's too late! many schools are now closing for the summer, and the admin staff will disappear. Ten days left on your residence permit is nothing at all.
Suggest you talk to the new school, explain your concerns , and either ask for more pay , or ask for a six month contract initially.
Of course there are risks in this , they could just say no and then you have a kind of stand-off where they know they have you over a visa-barrel, and you have to accept a less than kind school , and a bad situation.
It must be a very small city with no supermarkets, in fact I have never visited any city in China with no supermarkets, maybe you have looked in the wrong areas? |
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wawaguagua
Joined: 10 Feb 2013 Posts: 190 Location: China
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:59 am Post subject: |
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It's not that there are zero supermarkets, it's that the only supermarkets are only a little bigger than a 7/11 - There is hardly any variety. I've asked around and everyone has told me the same thing.
The supermarkets in my former workplace had large meat and seafood sections with packaged fresh cuts of meat (beef, pork, mutton, chicken, and seafood) as well as several huge freezers full of seafood, chicken, prepackaged steaks, pizza, dumplings, buns, and more. The supermarkets in this new city (all the same franchise) have a single counter where someone can cut up (unrefrigerated, old-looking) pork, and a single freezer with frost-burned chicken parts and shrimp.
I've become used to buying the pre-packaged fresh chicken breast to eat after my workouts and it sucks that the only way to get fresh chicken now is to go find a butcher in a market to slaughter a whole one for me (I only want the breast meat). I don't eat the frozen stuff because it doesn't look or taste real. |
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creeper1
Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 481 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 7:52 am Post subject: |
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lol At supermarkets being the major factor in taking a job.
I need sports clubs, bars, foreigner districts, museums, coffee shops, malls et al before I sign a contract.
Hence I only work in tier 1 cities. |
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teenoso
Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 365 Location: south china
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 8:12 am Post subject: |
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I am very wary of chicken here, just the way they are kept in markets and how people take home live chickens to kill and eat creeps me out; also I think some 'fresh chicken' in supermarkets is previously frozen. I tend to cook lots of tofu.
It can take a while to adapt to a new life , in a different province. But most situations are bearable for one year, if the apartment you have is OK , and the people you work for and with are decent (ie. not awful). It's also difficult accepting you have taken a step back , after a pleasant first experience here, but we've all been there.
Are there any other foreign teachers there who can help you out?
If necessary, you can order food supplies (cheese etc.) online through taobao. |
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nimadecaomei
Joined: 22 Sep 2016 Posts: 605
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 9:28 am Post subject: |
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Have you tried talking with the butcher about only getting the breast meat, usually they will sell parts of the chicken.
You could try using one of the online ordering places and seeing if anyone delivers to your area (meituan has a shopping section). Maybe they have what you need/want.
I freaked out my wife's family when they asked me to kill the chicken, off with its head I said. They don't ask me anymore Not into the whole scissors in the throat thing, give me a cleaver and we are done. So, the cultural thing cuts both ways, the shock on their face when I decapitated the chicken was priceless. |
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wawaguagua
Joined: 10 Feb 2013 Posts: 190 Location: China
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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The main problem is that the salary sucks. I was led to believe that the cost of living is lower here but it isn't. I talked to exchange students who have been here for a while, as well as a local acquaintance who is pretty well-travelled, and they all confirmed that this city is one of the most expensive in the province. Ordering everything I want on Taobao doesn't really fix that because I had that option back in the old school, too. |
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teenoso
Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 365 Location: south china
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 12:29 am Post subject: |
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So what's the solution ? You haven't really said what you will do ... do you have any options for bailing? Leave China and then return later.?
I am sure if you talk to the school they will be sympathetic and not hold you to the contract.
Or just ask for more money based on the high cost of living .... it seems a strange place ... few amenities and yet expensive , is it very remote ?
I know you might not want to reveal where you are necessarily, but maybe you can give a heads up to future applicants to your city or area.
In general costs of living are higher in the major cities but so are salaries, so it looks like you have the worst of both.
Just bear in mind that if you run out later, breaking the contract, because you can't stand it any more, it will be much harder to 'repair your CV' and find a new job in China. |
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wawaguagua
Joined: 10 Feb 2013 Posts: 190 Location: China
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 11:12 am Post subject: |
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It turns out that there is a larger supermarket... It's just that it shares the same name and brand as the convenience stores, so there was a misunderstanding with the people I talked to, who assumed I was talking about the larger store when I assumed they were talking about the smaller one.
Visiting the larger store made me less satisfied with the salary, however. One item I often purchased before that cost 30 yuan in my previous location costs 40 yuan in this city. I pointed it out to a exchange student accompanying me and he confirmed that, after visiting several neighboring cities, the prices in this city are high.
Initially, I did have contacts in other universities in other provinces, that I was ready to rely on - Schools can apply for a "humaniarian visa" to extend the residence permit for 30 more days to complete a new residence permit. However, the time is getting shorter and shorter, so my only options are to make a case for a higher salary or ask for a shorter contract. |
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Foo_Fighters_Dave
Joined: 09 Dec 2016 Posts: 162
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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You mentioned that you liked your job and worked there for a few years before having to leave. What happened?
Are you in a tier 3 city? |
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wawaguagua
Joined: 10 Feb 2013 Posts: 190 Location: China
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 3:56 am Post subject: |
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I was in Xinjiang before. As far as I'm aware, it's not possible for foreign nationals in Xinjiang to acquire or extend residence permits at this time as part of the increasingly strict regulations there. I communicated with several other universities in the province and all of them were facing the same issue. Many foreign teachers and exchange students have had no choice but to leave. Many foreign-run enterprises in Urumqi have shut down. There may be exceptions but I've yet to hear of any. Nobody is sure of what exactly is going on with it or how long this situation will be in place. |
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cormac
Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 768 Location: Xi'an (XTU)
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Too late to find something else? |
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wawaguagua wrote: |
Anyway, I just arrived, and though all of my paperwork is ready, we've only just started the transfer process. With ten days left on my current residence permit (from my previous school), do I have enough time to bail on this one and get something else? |
It's not too late, although it depends on the PSB. You can ask for an extension to your permit which will essentially have them "freeze" the date allowing you some time to organise something. Still, you'll need to have another job lined up, and the new school to be able to "negotiate" with the PSB. (Bear in mind though that they could easily say no to you, too.... I got an extension due to a transfer between universities being delayed, but the universities were pretty influential in the area.)
And while many admin of schools are heading off for holidays, others aren't. If a school is looking for staff, and it's important enough to them, then they'll still be around later.
Dunno why you're aiming at the smaller towns, but bear in mind that you'll have better options for jobs in the cities. Even the smaller cities. |
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geosmiley
Joined: 25 Jan 2016 Posts: 62
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 1:18 am Post subject: It's Too Late |
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In my opinion getting involved with the PSB and trying to negotiate your way into something that you have very little control over is, especially in China, a less than desirable situation. I can understand the regrets but I think it would be better to take a semester off, learn from the mistake and start fresh, i.e., it's too late. |
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cormac
Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 768 Location: Xi'an (XTU)
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 9:30 am Post subject: Re: It's Too Late |
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geosmiley wrote: |
In my opinion getting involved with the PSB and trying to negotiate your way into something that you have very little control over is, especially in China, a less than desirable situation. I can understand the regrets but I think it would be better to take a semester off, learn from the mistake and start fresh, i.e., it's too late. |
Whereas, in my opinion, the PSB gets more criticism than is warranted. They can be reasonable if you show them some respect, and have your school jump through the right hoops.
This is about having options. I agree that the OP should probably just start over from scratch, but if he doesn't, then it's good to know what else is possible. |
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Kalkstein
Joined: 25 Aug 2016 Posts: 80
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Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:59 am Post subject: Re: It's Too Late |
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geosmiley wrote: |
In my opinion getting involved with the PSB and trying to negotiate your way into something that you have very little control over is, especially in China, a less than desirable situation. I can understand the regrets but I think it would be better to take a semester off, learn from the mistake and start fresh, i.e., it's too late. |
Completely agree, he can try it but I'm fairly certain the outcome will be "no, this is your own fault". Chinese government workers generally won't willingly take on extra work unnecessarily. Also as of the last few years the government has gotten much tougher on having employees follow strict protocols.
If this case diverges from the common scenario it's likely to be met with a "we can't do that". He can try it though no harm in doing that.
I think his best bet is to be honest with his current employers perhaps work until they can get a replacement then get then ask them to help him transfer his WP. Burning bridges is not something you want to do in China, anyone can give you trouble if they so desire and can find you. |
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